I've had several changes of heart over the past couple of weeks as to what I'd like to see us do this off season with respect to the glaring needs our team has.

My current opinion takes into account cap space as well as FAs that are currently available. It also depends on resigning Champ.

DE - Sign a quality pass rusher. Kearse/Wistrom stand out here. They would be the big money man for us out of this off-season

DT - sign a 2nd tier FA. Not one of the big boys. Someone like Grady Jackson or Brian Young who can clog up the middle. Do a better than average job for less than premium money.

Then trade down from #5. I see nobody there thats good enough AND fits our needs well enough to take that high. New Englands 2 first rounders would be too low to trade, so wait till someone else has two and switch with them.

1st round: Pick up the best available DT and RB. Due to number of decent DT this time round, I'd got for a RB first
2nd round: TE/Safety if one of the standouts remain. If not, try for standout DE.
3rd round?: If no tight end yet - get one now. Otherwise, best available player whatever the position
5th roung: Centre

I dont understand how anybody can say that there isnt someone worth taking with the #5 pick. His name is Sean Taylor! Then with our #2 pick we can grab either Randy Starks (if he is still around which I doubt), Darnell Dockett or Greg Jones. If we grab Jones in the 2nd then we draft Donnell Washington in the 3rd. I know everyone keeps saying wait until after FA before we start discussing who we will draft. I dont think that FA has anything to do with whether or not we should draft Sean Taylor. He is going to be a playmaker and I seem to remember a few people from the boards this season wishing we would have takin Mike Doss (I know it would have not been a #5 pick but he isnt Sean Taylor). I am excited to see what happens.

I also agree that we should take Taylor with the 5th pick. I remember reading somewhere that Cerrato wanted Doss when our pick was up in the 2nd round last year, while Spurrier wanted Jacobs, and Snyder cast the deciding vote in favor of Jacobs. I just hope that Cerrato still wants a safety, and can convince everyone not to pass on Taylor.

I agree with the assessment that we need playmakers. I would go one step further and say that regardless of what our preconcieved "needs" are we would be best-served aquiring the most talented player available at any position. In the early rounds of the NFL draft (rounds 1 to 3) I would rather draft a future pro-bowl type player than address a specific positional need. I think drafting a player to upgrade a weak position is short sighted and leads to mediocrity.

Whoever the Redskins draft in the early rounds, I hope it is based primarily on talent and potential. Now, if we are able to acquire the best player available and address a weak position at the same time - GREAT. That is the ideal situation.

I am certainly no judge of talent but for my money, any position requiring an upgrade or depth can be addressed via Free Agency, undrafted FA, and the latter rounds of the NFL draft. One thing that stands out from the Super Bowl years under coach Gibbs is the number of quality players that were developed. They weren't all 1st or 2nd round picks.

OK, so I've seen a bit more of Sean Taylor and having read more too, would be more than happy for us to pick him at 5.

My line of thinking now is that if we pick up Taylor and sign Donovin Darius or even Greg Wesley, our backfield would be hard to beat by run or pass. (Both those SS are UFA according to the sheets).

In round 2, I'd take whichever of the DT's were still available. This, along with a decent FA DT and a GREAT DE to replace smith would sort out our D-Line too. Our front 4 would then look something like Wynn, Brian Young??, Marcus Tubbs?? (at worst), Jevon Kearse/Grant Wistrom etc etc. In reserve we'd have Upshaw and Noble, both of whom would be pretty solid. With Wynn able to play DT too makes this a flexible bunch.

I'm sure Joe would be able to sort out RB , however he wants. Either keeping who we had this season (Trung started looking good at one point), or by using our next draft pick. He might do a combination of both those options, as he often prefered a veteran back with a younger sidekick.

TE, well, various options there. We don't need to burn a high pick on Winslow or the likes. All I can think is if we had Shockey right now he'd be useless in what Joes O has often been like. Use a couple of holdovers and sign low draft pick/undrafted rookies as blockers.

We played way under our heads this season, we're a far better football team than our record would indicate and we've been lucky enough to be able to land a stud playmaker like Kellen Winslow Jr.

I think we have to take it. Winslow isn't just a pass catcher but a very capable blocker. Someone who can help us move the chains on 3rd down and someone who can open up the field for Coles and Gardner... I think Winslow Jr. would be an ideal fit. There have been a few decent college D linemen entering the draft and one should be available in the 2nd or 3rd round (Kearse could be had in Free Agency, and if anyone needs a change of scenery and a stellar defensive staff... it's him) a quality back might be grabbed in the 2nd or 3rd round also, if not, plenty are available in free agency or as possible releases.

I think we need to take full advantage of our situation with the 5th pick and enough of our holes can be filled in free agency to allow us to take Winslow IMO.

Dont forget about Bertrand Barry the DE free agent from Denver who had his best year with 12 sacks, considering that Portis is going to be a hold out (as espn reported) the Broncos may not have enough cap room to resign barry, Barry is solid end that has the ability to rush the QB but his asking price may be too high

I also wouldnt mind seeing the Redskins sign the recently released QB Jeff Blake, A strong armed veteran who would be a solid backup to Ramsey, Perhaps Mark Brunell would be the best backup to sign but hes looking to start and the Dolphins are showing interest

I strongly disagree ferryrich, there are not too many players better than winslow in the draft and hes the type of player whos going to make an immediate and immense impact on the team in his rookie year, Kevin Winslow has the potentional to be the premier TE in the league and I wouldnt mind having him, considering that we dont even have a TE that can catch or do much else

I agree that Winslow will be a great TE.
I don't agree that a great TE has as great an impact as a great player in other positions.

The greatest TE over recent years? Tony Gonzalez, maybe Shannon Sharpe.
Neither of those are team leaders and neither of them can have a great impact on a game.
I would also put recievers in that category. Randy Moss is a great receiver. Whats he won?
Receivers and TE's cannot have the same impact because for most of the game they're decoys, creating space and if the QB isn't any good, they wont get the ball anyway.
A great player ANYWHERE on defense can have a bigger impact on a game.